Blue masquerade, strangers look on,When will they learn this loneliness?Temptation heat beats like a drum,Deep in your veins, I will not lie.

Deeply tragic news this morning, particularly for children of the '80s. Corey Haim, one of the most popular Generation X teen heartthrobs, has died of an apparent drug overdose. Sadly, Haim's life seemed to be one of suffering, both from the damage of the substances he put into his body, and also the catastrophic effects of the well-worn path trod by so many child stars whose light fades as they pass into full adulthood.

Corey is best known to horror fans for his roles in Silver Bullet (1985) and especially The Lost Boys (1987), in which he co-starred with fellow '80s teen idol Corey Feldman. That latter film was perhaps the highlight of his entire career--an edgy vampire comedy adored by virtually anyone who enjoys '80s horror. For a certain generation, that movie is legendary--and because of it, Haim will always be fondly remembered.

The sad part of this is that, despite his well-publicized personal problems, Haim appeared to working hard to get his career back on track. Following some recent reality TV appearances that raised him back into the public spotlight, he had begun working more often again, and according to IMDb, currently has an astounding nine projects either in the can or in pre-production, waiting to be released.

On a personal note, there was a certain period in the late 1980s and early 1990s, during which Corey Haim's smiling baby-face was an ever-present image in my home. You see, my little sister was one of those girls with the Tiger Beat and Bop posters all over the wall. In fact, if memory serves, Corey Haim was her very first celebrity crush. And so, in some weird way, hearing the news of his passing this morning felt like a bit of my youth being ripped away.

Like so many child stars before him, Corey Haim has finally found the peace that eluded him for so long in life. What a horrible pity.

Which horror film *should* be remade?

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I've been fascinated with horror ever since my parents let me watch The Exorcist at 8 years old (what were they thinking??) and I ran up to my bed screaming when Linda Blair's eyes rolled into the back of her head.Although it often gets a bad rap from "mainstream" critics and audiences alike, horror has often been the most creative and vibrant movie genre of all, from Nosferatu to Saw. Some of the finest motion pictures ever made are part of the horror genre, including Frankenstein, Psycho, The Shining and my personal all-time favorite, George Romero's Dawn of the Dead.This blog is the culmination of my 25-year love affair with all things blood and guts--so check back here often for news and opinion on the world of horror. And remember...